ESCONDIDO: Man shot dead at Fourth of July party

ESCONDIDO -- A 26 year-old-man was shot in the head and killed
just as police pulled up to a chaotic Fourth of July party on the
city's west side, police said Sunday.

The victim was Daniel Eugene Alexander of Escondido, according
to the county medical examiner's office.

Escondido police Lt. Bob Benton said it was not clear whether
Alexander was the shooter's intended victim.

There were about 100 people at the party in the 500 block of
Vine Street, including dozens of people in the driveway, where the
shots were apparently fired, Benton said.

About 11:35 p.m., police got a call about a fight at a large
party on the short street that climbs steeply off Ninth Avenue,
just east of Interstate 15.

Officers responded in under three minutes, but as they arrived,
they heard multiple gunshots and saw teenagers and young adults
running away, Benton said.

Alexander was found lying in the driveway of the single-family
home, a gunshot wound to his head.

Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead, Benton said.

Police shepherded partygoers to Ninth Avenue to get them to
safety while keeping them from leaving, Benton said.

Officers believed the suspect was still in the house, and the
Escondido police Tactical Operations Unit searched the home, but
did not find the suspect, Benton said.

Nor was the shooter found in the group that police contained on
Ninth Avenue.

Benton said police had some leads, but because the party was so
large and events unfolded so quickly, partygoers differed on their
recollection of the shooting and how long Alexander had been at the
party.

Many people did not realize anyone had been shot.

"At this point, it's frustrating because we have a lot of
conflicting information," Benton said.

Police are unsure what motivated the shooting, but they don't
think Alexander was in a gang, Benton said.

Anyone with more information is asked to call Detective Don
Tulimero at 760-839-4776.